The subject of the invention is an apparatus for fastening a sealing bellows to the housing of a ball joint, in which the sealing bellows has a doughnut form rim which seats in a circular groove, open in the axial direction, which is generally U-shaped in cross section, and runs around the outer rim of the housing. The circular groove is formed in part by the housing rim generally L-shaped in cross section, and in part by an L-shaped holding ring which is set into the recess defined by the L-shaped housing rim. The cylindrical outer wall of the holding ring for holding the bellows rim is curved radially inward.
From German Published Application 1,266,573, there is known a means of fastening a sealing bellows to the housing of ball joints movable in all directions, in which the sealing bellows has a rim which seats in an axially open groove of the joint housing, the outer wall of which can be rolled in against the sealing bellows. Here, the circular groove is to be formed in the production of the joint housing, and is not to be finished. In practice, however, it has been found that the rolling in of the freestanding side wall of groove against the rim of the sealing bellows is extremely difficult if damage to the sealing bellows is to be prevented.
From U.S. Pat. No. 2,496,839 there is known a means for fastening a sealing bellows to the housing of a ball joint, in which a groove opening is formed by the housing rim, L-shaped in cross section, and defining a circular recess on the one hand; and by an L-shaped holding ring, set into the recess and fastened into it, opposite in cross section to the opening, on the other hand. The holding ring may be fastened to the joint housing by welding, for example.
Starting from this, the invention attacks the problem of simplifying the known fastening of a sealing bellows to the housing of a ball joint with a turned-over holding ring.